Overlooking the YouYou greenhouse project, a 20.6-hectare semi-closed facility growing tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, and lettuce, Alice Pan with SD Glass Tech explains how the facility is an example of the growing Chinese agricultural market. “High-tech and scalable,” she says. While exporting glass to other countries, glass supplying company SD Glass Tech also supplies these local projects with low iron diffused glass. Something that isn’t always easy, since the lacking availability of glass puts pressure on the market.
The YouYou greenhouse was completed last year. The Certhon greenhouse is automatically controlled and equipped with Priva systems for precision irrigation and fertilisation. Screens are used to keep emissions low. Produce is sold mostly to the local market. The greenhouse is mainly a Dutch project. “There are great opportunities for greenhouse suppliers in China and especially since the year 2020, the Chinese government supports agricultural development even more. Dutch companies particularly are invited, as they stand for high tech level and advanced greenhouses,” export manager Alice Pan explains. “Also Chinese horticultural suppliers are growing rapidly and are sometimes more sustainable since they are locally based. Especially since due to COVID, some international teams cannot come to China easily.”
Alice shows the YouYou project, which was initiated by the Youyou group and supported by the local government. It is located in the Shanghai region, on the Sino-Dutch Agricultural Innovation Park, which covers an area of 1,979 mu, (over 130 hectares). “This is an example of where the Chinese horticultural industry is going,” Alice says. “It’s standardised and large-scale. We see many of these project occurring. On the Chongming Island, for example, many projects have been built: the Hengda Agricultural Company, the Guangming Group and then of course YouYou.”
"We also need to pay attention to the strong policy on agriculture of the Chinese government. The 10th China Flower Expo for example with the theme "China Dream Blooming in Flowers" will be held on Chongming Island in Shanghai on May 21," she says. Construction of the Expo Park's main structure, consisting of one center and one axis, with six pavilions and six gardens, has been finished.
The China Flower Expo is the largest and most influential national flower event in China. The organizer expects to receive 3 million visitors during the Expo.
These developments are also why SD Tech choses to be very active in the local market. “We try to support the growth of the Chinese agricultural industry in various ways. In this region, but also in the Beijing Agricultural Park.”
Yet despite the rapid growth, the pressure on the glass market is a challenge to the supplier. “Ever since September 2020, the glass price raised and glass stock running out quickly. Reasons for this are the pressure from the solar industry globally, the real estate market in China and the higher shipping costs due to lower availability. Combined with COVID and the exchange rates, the low iron flat glass price has almost doubled. Still, for growers it’s not an option to exclude glass out of your project. The pressure on the raw glass is high and we also need production time. It’s the hardest season now – we do our best to support our customers and most or our projects are on schedule.”
Fortunately there’s also good news. The production capacity of the Chinese glass industry is on the rise as manufacturers are expanding their production. Then also some normal clear raw glass lines are changed to produce low iron raw glass in 2021, which will increase the glass supply activity.
For more information:
Alice Pan
Sales Manager
Greenhouse Exporting Manager
SD Glass Tech
Tel：0086 532 55578701
Fax：0086 532 55578705
Email: alice@sdglasstech.com
M/B+Whatsapp: +86 18561383215
Web: www.cnsdglasstech.com